Propelling device



' Dec. 14, 1948. HIM. MORRILL I PROPELLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 10, 1846 Atmrney:

Dec. 14, 1948. H. M. MORRILL 2,45%,440

PROPELLING DEVICE Filed July 10, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 14;, 1948 iJNiT-Eh STATES Parent orrics Horace M. Merrill, Pontiac, Mich.

utpplication July 10, 1946, Serial No. 682,481

This invention relates tonic-tor driven propelling device of the'type employing a propeller for propelling a person on a vehicle which is normally manually propelled, such as skates.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a portable manually supported propelling unit including a propeller and a motor for dllVlllg the propeller which is controlled by the rider, for propelling the rider on any type of small vehicle which is normally manually propelled, through the thrust of the propeller which is exerted directly on a part of the body of the user.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a propelling device of the afore described character wherein the user will experience the thrill and pleasure of feelingthe thrust developed by the engine and propeller directly against the part of his body as he is conveyed by the propelling deviceon a pair of skates or other small vehicle at a relatively high speed over a surface. I

Still a further object of the invention is to pro-- vide a device of the above described character capable of being economically manufacturedand sold, which will be efiicient in operation, durable and extremely light in weight so as not to produce an undue burden on the part of the user.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the propelling device in an applied position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 22 of Figure l; Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the propelling device;

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 44 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 3. I

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the propelling device in its entirety, designated generally 6, is illustrated in Figure 1 in an ap- 4 Claims. (01. -1)

end thereof. The housing 8 preferably contains a fuel tank 9 having a filling neck extending through the top of the housing 8 and provided with a removable cover H A pivotally mounted hand throttle l l is disposedwithin the housing 8 and is pivoted at one end thereof on a bracket I2 which projects from the top of the tank 9. A hand grip I3 is secured to and projects upwardly from the bar or tube 7 at the inner, rear end of the housing 8 and is adapted to be grasped by the right hand of the user, as illustrated in Figure 1. The upper part of the rear end of thehousing 8 is secured to the upper part of the hand grip I3 and the sides of the housing 8, directly in .front of the hand grip it, are cut away to provide openings M for accommodating the fingers of the hand, grasping the grip l3. The free end of the hand throttle It extends intothe space between the openings l4 and is located to be engaged by the index finger of the hand, engaging the grip IS. A swingably mounted electric switch 15 projects upwardly from the hand grip [3 to. be engaged and actuated by the thumb of the hand engaging the grip l3. 7 v I A supporting hook it, as best seen in Figure 5, is provided with a clamp Il forming the lower part thereof, which is adjustably and detachably secured to the bar '5 for positioning the hook it thereabove and with the bill of the hook preferably disposed on the outer side of the bar 1. The arm of the hand graspingthe grip I 3 extends through the hook it, which is preferably located adjacent the elbow, and said arm and hand thus combine to support the propelling device 6 in th position as seen in Figure 1. I

A substantially spherical cage, designated generally i8, is connected to the rear end of the bar I and'extends rearwardly therefrom and is'disposed with the horizontal axis thereof insubstantially the same plane as the longitudinal axis of the bar 7. The cage It includes perpendicularly disposed ring members l9 and 20 which are positioned at rightangles to one another and horizontal ring members 21 and 22 which are disposed within and connected to upper portions of the rings I9 and 20. A motor support, designated generally 23 and including'a pluralitybf bars or braces 24, which are secured at their outer ends to the rin members I9 and 20, is disposed within the spherical cage l8 and in the rear half thereof. The support 23 is constructed and arranged to fixedly support a small internal combustion engine 25 within the cage l8 and preponderantly in the rear part thereof and with the driven shaft 26 of the engine 25 disposed substantially axially of the cage [8 and supporting bar 1. The engine 25 is preferably a small gasoline engine of the type conventionally employed as a power unit for model airplanes. A propeller 21 is keyed to the forward end of the driven shaft 26 and is disposed slightly forward of the transverse center of the cage 18.

A fuel line 28 extends from the bottom of the tank 9 through the hollow baror tube], around the forward part: ofthe cage I8 and inwardly of the rear part thereof to the engine 25. A flexible shaft 29, disposed within a flexible conduit.

30, is connected at one end to the hand throttle H and extends therefrom through the tube 7;.

around the forward part of the cage, 18 anclin- Wardly through the rear part thereof to the engine 25 where it; is connecteditosuitable-means; not shown, for controlling the fuel mixture to the carburetor, not shown, of the engine 25. The switch 15 is connected by electrical conductors, notshown, to the ignition-system, not shown, of the-engine 25;

A back rest or brace 3l='may be attached to'the supporting bar or tube 1, adjacent the rearend thereof, anddisposed-toproject laterally therefrom to rest against the-back of the-user forabsorbing the thrust produced on the propelling device G -by the propeller 21, when-in operation; If desired, and for the purpose of increasing the thrill to-be derived from being propelled by the device 6-; the-back rest 3| maybe-dispensed with and is accordin ly detachably mounted on the bar I:

Assumingthat'the device Bis supported in-the manner-shown in Figure l and that theignition switch [5- is in a circuit closing position and that the engine 25 is in operation for revolving the propeller 21; it will'be-readily apparent that the devicefi w-ill be supported primarily by the hook IB engagjng therightarm oftheuser andseoondarilyby the right hand of the user engaging the grip l3. Theuser by engaging his right-index' finger with the free end of the throttle l I can pull said end rearwardly for rocking the throttle- H upwardly to accelerate the engine 25 to thereby increase the R. P. M. of the'propeller 2Tso-that the thrust therefrom will be exerted through the cage I8 and'the supporting bar ion the right armand hand of the skater for propelling him on the blades of his skates-at arelatively high rate of speed" over an icesurface. Therate-of speed can be regulated-bypontrol of the -throttle H and in'case the-user should fall, the engine 25 may be readily shut ofiby snapping the ignition switch (5 with the right thumb. Whenthe back-rest 3 l is employed, substantially all of the-thrust will be exerted against the back ofthe user thus taking theforward thrust oif of theright arm and-hand. Arelatively small mode1 airplanetype gasoline engine driving a fourteen inch high pitch propeller between eighteen and twenty thousand R; R- M.', will develop approximately asix pound forward thrust which issufficient to-propelan ice skater.- at a,relatively high-rate of speed, with-a little aid on the part. of the skater in. gaining initialmomentum.

The propelling device 6 maybe-formed of steel,

magnesium and aluminum so as to be extremely light in weight and easily carried by the user.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated andmay obviously be resorted to, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Inapropelling device for occupant supporting vehiclessuch as skates, a substantially spherical cage, a prime mover mounted therein, a propeller drivenby. said prime mover and rotatable within said cage for exerting a forward thrust thereon, a supporting bar connected to the forward end of said cageand extending forwardly therefrom and adapted to'be disposed along one side -of-the body ofthe user; ahanger adapted'to detachablyengage a horizontally disposed forearm of the user andconnectedto said supporting bar-for supporting the latter therebeneath, and ahandle extending upwardly from said-supporting bar, forwarclyofthehanger, tube-engaged by the handof the armengaged bysaid hanger forreceiving the forward thrust' of the propeller through said cage and supporting bar.

2. A propellingdevice as in claim=l; and aback engaging bar projecting laterally from the supporting bar, adjacent said cage for transmitting the: thrust from the propeller 'tothe back of the body of the user;

3. In a manually supported propelling; device, a cage, a prime mover supported by the cage, a propeller" driven by theprimemovepand disposed forrotation in said cage, a bar extending forwardly; from and secured tothe-cage and provided with an upstanding" fore-arm engaging hanger disposed intermediate; the ends thereof, and a' hand grip projecting upwardlyfrom the forward-endof the supporting bar.

4; A propelling device as in claim 3, and a laterally projectingba'ck engaging thrust bar securedto the supporting baradj acentsaid cage.

HORACE M. MORRILL.

REFERENCES 3 CITED The. following, references; are .of I record in the file of thispatent:

UNITED S'IACII'ES' BAT-ENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date- Austria 1 Nov. 25', 1938 Great Britain Feb. 25, 1926 Germany Dec. 8, 1922 France; June 18, 1913 Number Number 

